"Orinoco Flow", also released as "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)", is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Enya from her second studio album, Watermark (1988). It was released on October 3, 1988 by WEA Records in the United Kingdom and by Geffen Records in the United States the following year. The song topped the UK Singles Chart for three weeks and received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Music Video and Best New Age Performance at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards. The Guardian ranked "Orinoco Flow" at number 77 on its list of the 100 greatest UK number-one singles in 2020.[1]
Background[]
The song was released as the lead single from Enya's studio album Watermark on October 3, 1988. It became a global success, reaching number one in several countries, including Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, where it stayed at the top of the UK Singles Chart for three weeks. In the United States, the song peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1989.
The title of the song is an allusion both to Orinoco Studios (now Miloco Studios), where it was recorded, and to the river of the same name. Its pizzicato chords, generated by altering the Roland D-50 synthesizer's "Pizzagogo" patch, are highly recognizable as a new-age sound. Enya was signed to WEA by Rob Dickins, who served as executive producer of Watermark, and the song pays homage to Dickins in the line "with Rob Dickins at the wheel". Co-producer Ross Cullum is referenced in the song with a pun on Ross Dependency: "We can sigh, say goodbye / Ross and his dependencies".
In 1994, the song was licensed to Virgin Records for the best-selling new-age music compilation album Pure Moods, which contributed to further exposure and "helped provide a multi-platinum bonanza" to the record company.
In 1998, a special-edition 10th-anniversary remix single was released.
In a 2015 interview with The Irish Times, Enya said: “Longevity is all any artist dreams of”, rather than to dwell on how her songs are remembered. She credits "Orinoco Flow" for some of her cross-generational appeal, saying: "people who used to like Orinoco Flow are now playing my music to their children". In another interview, when asked whether people bring up "Orinoco Flow", she responded: "people say 'sail away' to me or whistle bits of it back to me. I think it’s wonderful—I never tire of it."
Lyrics[]
The lyrics have been likened to "an itinerary for the most expensive gap year of all time", mentioning an array of locations like a "global geography lesson". Locations mentioned in the song include Fiji, Tiree, Peru, Bali, and Cebu.
Let me sail, let me sail
Let the orinoco flow
Let me reach, let me beach
On the shores of Tripoli
Let me sail, let me sail
Let me crash upon your shore
Let me reach, let me beach
Far beyond the Yellow Sea
De, De, De, De, De, De, De, De, De, De
Sail away, sail away, sail away [x4]
From Bissau to Palau - in the shade of Avalon
From Fiji to Tiree and the Isles of Ebony
From Peru to Cebu hear the power of Babylon
From Bali to Cali - far beneath the Coral Sea
De, De, De, De, De, De, De, De, De, De
Turn it up, Turn it up, Turn it up, up, Adieu, Ohhhh
Turn it up, Turn it up, Turn it up, up, Adieu, Ohhhh
Turn it up, Turn it up, Turn it up, up, Adieu, Ohhhh
Sail away, sail away, sail away [x4]
From the North to the South
Ebudae into Khartoum
From the deep sea of Clouds
To the island of the moon
Carry me on the waves
To the lands I've never been
Carry me on the waves
To the lands I've never seen
We can sail, we can sail
With the orinoco flow
We can sail, we can sail...(Sail away, Sail away, Sail away)
We can steer, we can near
With Rob Dickins at the wheel
We can sigh, say goodbye
Ross and his dependency
We can sail, we can sail...(Sail away, Sail away, Sail away)
Scans[]
Tracklist[]
7-inch and cassette single[]
- "Orinoco Flow" (Edit) 3:45
- "Out Of The Blue" 3:10
12-inch and mini-CD single[]
- "Orinoco Flow" 4:26
- "Smaoitím..." (D'Aodh Agus Do Mháire Uí Dhúgain) 6:09
- "Out Of The Blue" 3:08
Japanese CD 3 Tracks EP (1990)[]
- "Orinoco Flow" (7" Version) 3:48
- "Evening Falls..." 3:49
- "Storms In Africa (Part II)" (Single Version) 3:01
Japanese CD single (1998)[]
- "Orinoco Flow" 3:47
- "Hope Has A Place" 4:46
- "Pax Deorum" 4:57
Music Video[]
A video was made to accompany the song. It features Enya (who is partially animated using stop motion and rotoscoping) singing the song in front of footage of rivers, flowers and nature, edited to have the appearance of a painting. It was directed by Michael Geoghegan.
Critical Reception[]
Ned Raggett from AllMusic described the song as "distinct" and "downright catchy". He noted "its implicit dramatics, [that] gently charges instead of piling things on".
Charts[]
Weekly Charts[]
| Chart (1988-1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 6 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 8 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 1 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 4 |
| Denmark (IFPI) | 6 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 1 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) | 5 |
| France (SNEP) | 16 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 1 |
| Italy (Musica e deschi) | 20 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 1 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 1 |
| Norway (VG-lista) | 5 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 3 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 1 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 24 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 7 |
| US Alternative Airplay (Billboard) | 6 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 25 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records) | 5 |
| West Germany (Official German Charts) | 2 |
Year-end Charts[]
| Chart (1998) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop) | 56 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 83 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 40 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 23 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 18 |
| Chart (1998) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 43 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 60 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 72 |
| New Zealand (Eurochart Hot 100) | 34 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 19 |
| West Germany (Official German Charts) | 20 |
Certifications[]
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 500,000‡ |